China Blue
by RiverBeds
Summary: Gemma's 16 year old niece moves to Charming following the deaths of her parents. Over time she morphs from a privileged, private schooled teen into a spicy, gorgeous young woman who spent her teen years in a biker club house. When an unknown threat puts her in danger, Happy is assigned guard duty. Now feelings long buried are rising to the surface and boiling over.
1. Chapter 1

**Cold, Gray, Drizzle**

He stood in the back, shoulder to shoulder with his brothers. Head down, trying to avoid the rain. It was a miserable day, cold and rainy. Gemma insisted they come, all of them. Otherwise they never would have been caught dead there. Many people were already giving them looks that they've all seen before, letting them know quite clearly that they thought they didn't belong at the funeral, and that if were up to all of them, they'd make sure they weren't even allowed on the planet. The way he saw it, the sooner they could leave, the better.

He raised his eyes to stare at Gemma, who had her arm wrapped tight around the girl's shoulders. Both heads bowed during the preacher's final words. The girl, Gemma's sixteen year old niece, was the same height as Gemma and looked like, once she filled out, she'd have the same build. He didn't care what anyone said, he'd bet his kutte that she was just as prissy, stuck up, and judgmental as the rest of the people in the crowd. Not that he gave a damn.

As if she could read his mind, the girl's head snapped up and she locked eyes with him. He was surprised when she not only met but held his gaze, her china blue eyes boring into him. She didn't look afraid, in fact, he would say she looked almost curious, as if he was a brainteaser that she was trying to figure out. She cocked her head and raised her eyebrows, silently asking him why he was staring at her. There was no good answer he could silently convey so he just dropped his gaze.

The preacher finished and everyone began moving forward, placing the carnations they were given on the two coffins before shaking the girl's hand and walking away. He noticed she seemed to handle herself well, accepting hugs, handshakes, and sympathetic smiles in an almost graceful manner, offering comfort to those who should be offering it to her. He and his brothers were the last to approach. When the last of the "respectable" crowd made their way to their cars, and the first of the Son's neared the coffins, he'd swear he saw the girl take a deep breath and visibly relax.

He had just enough time to wonder what the hell that meant when he found himself standing right in front of her. Those china blue eyes locked on to his again. He didn't say a word, almost as if he was glued to the spot, held in place by those piercing eyes that seemed to look right inside of him. Out of the corner of his eye he saw Gemma look at him in the way only Gemma can while he stood there and stared at the girl. It was a look that conveys that she knows damn well what you're thinking and is warning you that you better behave.

The girl silently stepped forward and hugged him, her hands resting on the outside of his shoulders as she stepped back. "Thank you so much for coming, you have no idea how much it means to me." He stood there stupidly, just looking at her. He finally snapped out of it, gave her a curt nod, and stepped out of her hands and went on his way. He could feel his brothers' confused eyes boring holes in the back of his kutte. He had the strangest feeling that his whole world just shifted, and that somehow, those damn big blue eyes were responsible for it.


	2. Chapter 2

**Chapter 2**

"Dani, is that you?" "Yes, Aunt Gem, I'm home." "Good, hang up your tights and get your ass in here to help me!" Dani smiled to herself, "Be right there Aunt Gem."

It had been over a year since Dani moved to Charming. She left the all-girls _Greenwich_ _Academy_ in Connecticut, as well as the _Eastern Connecticut Ballet_ far behind. Her trust fund would have easily covered private school near Charming plus any ballet academy she wanted. Instead she enrolled in Charming High and both took and taught dance at the local, podunk ballet school right on Charming's Main Street. Miss MaryAnne, who owned the studio, had a lot of trouble fitting into her tights these days. She thought Dani was one of the most talented and technically trained ballerinas she'd ever had in her studio. Not hard to do when you move from the elite areas of Connecticut to the hard working areas of Charming.

Surprisingly, she fit right in with SAMCRO as well, holding her own, and taking their light teasing in stride. She earned a lot of nicknames. Barbie, Tights, Blue, Doll, etc. She'd roll her eyes and laugh. "I don't care what you call me as long as you're at my damn recital next week!" They thought Gemma was kidding the first time she told them they had to come to Dani's recital. When she added that they were expected to bring flowers, they looked at her as if she'd asked them stroll into Oakland and off Alvarez in front of his crew. They would have rather gone to Oakland unarmed than to Charming High School to sit through a three hour dance recital. Gemma framed the photo of Dani, _en pointe, _pink tutu and all, standing arm in arm with Tig, Chibs, Jax, Opie, Juice, and Bobby. It hung in the club house like some kind of _Awkward Family Photo_.

Less than six months after the recital, Gemma had them all back in the Charming High Auditorium to sit through Charming's version of _West Side Story, _which Dani had a role in.The running joke around the club house was that since the girl moved to Charming, the boys had spent more time in Charming High than any of them ever did when they were actually enrolled there.

Christmas was in two days and Gemma wanted her help getting all the desserts and side dishes ready to go. Gemma did it every year, hosted the Sons and their families for Christmas. It was tradition. Dani's first one was last year, a mere month after she buried her parents. She was still numb last year, barely conscious of what was going on around her. She helped with dinner, bought presents for her Aunt, Uncle and Jax, and gave Christmas tins filled with homemade cookies to all of the Sons. Even Bobby admitted the cookies were good. She listened to their well-worn stories, laughed at the funny parts, helped wash the dishes, pour the coffee, and serve dessert. By some unspoken agreement, no one mentioned her parents. She was glad for their consideration. It was still too fresh.

**Two Days Later**

"Damn, doll, how old are you now?" "Not old enough Tig, won't be 18 for two more months." "Aww, I hear they're pretty flexible with that law, ain't they? Nuthin' to worry about doll." "Merry Christmas to you too," she said, kissing him on the cheek. "Aunt Gem's in the kitchen and most of the boys are in the living room waiting for dinner. Go behave yourself!"

She knew her Mom would have loved her dress tonight. She wore a very chic black dress with a lace, one sleeved overlay. It was belted with a red silk sash and paired with matching red heels. A biker meets Barbie version of a Christmas dress. It showed off her long legs and newly filled out curves. She was built identical to her Mom and Aunt Gemma, who were sisters. Her long, honey blonde hair was brushed into soft waves and she wore dark eye makeup that caused her bright blue eyes to pop. When Gemma saw her, tears gathered in her eyes. All the more surprising since Gemma didn't cry for shit. "You look just like her, you know that don't you." "I know, Dad used to tell me all the time. I thought, she might like this tonight." "You thought right sweetheart, you look beautiful."

Dinner was served, stories were told, and traditions were upheld. At some point in the middle of one of Jax's stories about when he and Opie were in high school, she started to feel like she was being suffocated, like if she didn't get outside and away from everyone, she'd start screaming. She nonchalantly got up with her coffee cup, walked to the kitchen, and slipped outside. Based on the way they were all laughing at the story, she knew she wouldn't be missed.

Once outside, she sat on top of the picnic table and dropped her head almost down to her knees, hands rubbing her temples. She felt the tears sting and was surprised by them. Much like Aunt Gemma, Dani didn't cry for shit. Not when her parents died, not when she had to face the drunk driver who killed them in court, and not when her paternal Grandmother told her that if her father had never met her mother, he'd still be alive. After a few minutes her breathing evened out and she felt better. "I know you're there," she called out, "either shoot me, join me, or go back inside."

He had no idea how she did that. Grown men thought of him as a ghost, not knowing he was there until it was too late. Somehow, she always knew. He surprised himself by walking over and sitting on the table next to her. "That's a lot of tears for a kid with a shit load of presents under the tree." She smiled at that and gave a chuckle. Happy never let her feel sorry for herself. "Sometimes it's not what you have, Hap, but what you know you'll never have again." He nodded thoughtfully at that. "Just give me a minute and I'll build a bridge and get over it, I just needed some air." He nodded again. It was a chilly night, even for Charming, and she shivered. He moved a little closer until they were touching, loaning her some warmth. They sat there for a while, side by side, not using any words but communicating all the same. When she took a deep breath and dropped her shoulders, he knew she'd gotten it together.

They sat there for a while longer and he let his eyes travel down her legs. He felt her shiver again. The twitch in his pants surprised him. "You done with school yet? "Six months, then college next fall." "Hand me your phone." She gave it over, no questions asked. "Use this number if you need it." She nodded when he gave it back. She stared at him again; those damn big blue eyes made him feel like he could drown in them if he wasn't careful. "Don't turn into a crazy bitch and start texting me every time you break a nail." She smiled at him and dropped her gaze for a second. "Fair enough, but don't you turn into a crazy bitch asking for a new batch of cookies every time you manage to change a tire." He smirked at her, "fair enough." She got up and went back inside, not looking back once.

He sat out there for a few more minutes, having a smoke before he went back in for Gemma's nasty ass apple pie. It felt cold on the side of his body that the girl had sat on, the smell of her light perfume still lingered in the air. He shook his head for a second, marveling at the fact that the Tacoma Killer just gave a seventeen-year-old, blue eyed, blonde haired ballerina his phone number. He looked down at his phone as if he expected there to already be a text from her. He sat there, wondering what the hell was wrong with him, as he got up to go back in and finish dessert.

_**Greenwich Academy and Eastern Connecticut Ballet are both real schools in Connecticut. I have no connection to them; I just needed a few private schools for the story line. **_

_**Thank you so much for the reviews and kind words. They are much appreciated. The story will not follow the show in terms of characters that have been killed off. I am intentionally paying less attention to that in order to focus on Dani and Happy's interactions. **_


	3. Chapter 3

_**SOA is the property of Kurt Sutter. Nothing you recognize belongs to me!**_

**Chapter 3**

"Mom, finish getting Abel dressed for me while I take care of Thomas. Tara had an early shift at the hospital."

"I'll take them both Jax, just go to the Club House."

"When does Dani get home from school?"

"I have to go get her next week, she's in the Nutcracker and then she can come home for Christmas break."

"Isn't she done with school yet?" He asked. "She graduates in the Spring, got it done in four years."

Jax smiled "You sure she's related to us, graduating college in four years and everything?" Gemma smirked, "Forget the fact that she looks just like a much prettier version of you Jax, have you ever seen anyone handle Tig like she can? Or get Bobby to admit that her cookies are better than his?"

"I know," he said, "I'm still waiting for that private school attitude to show up though, even though I love her." Gemma rolled her eyes, "Don't worry Jax. She's one of us, and I don't say that about too many people, including your darling Old Lady." Jax ignored the dig on Tara.

"Didn't you hear about what she did to Tracey Murphy?" Gemma asked. Jax looked at her, perplexed. "Tracey Murphy, the deacon's wife, what the hell happened there?"

Gemma smiled as she remembered the day Tracey Murphy looked like she ate sour grapes dipped in lemon juice while Dani stood in front of her and smiled sweetly. Tracey's daughter and Dani were the same age and until Dani came along, Kelsey Murphy was the lead dancer in all productions at Miss MaryAnne's.

Kelsey was a nice girl, took after her Dad, and was oblivious to how devious and cruel her mother could be. After the first production she was cast in, Dani knew Mrs. Murphy was going to be a problem.

"Juice, I need to put a hidden camera in someone's house and I need a direct feed to it from my laptop."

"I need a little more background info before I help you go all crazy stalker on someone, Tights." Dani smiled, "How about I just smile real pretty and tell you I'm going to use it for evil purposes?" Juice rolled his eyes, knowing he would help her.

The next day Dani arranged to have a study date with Kelsey at her house. She'd heard rumors that the landscaper was spending an inordinate amount of time at the Murphy household while Kelsey was at school and Mr. Murphy was at Charming Presbyterian. Their lawn still looked like shit. A carefully placed knick knack in the living room was all it took.

A few days later Dani was at the dance studio waiting for Gemma to pick her up when Tracey made a few comments to MaryAnne about pure talent vs. biker club scum in front of Dani. Dani knew Tracey was campaigning against her in the only way a catty, grown-up version of a 7th grade girl can, through gossip and manipulation.

Dani approached and went in for the kill. "Mrs. Murphy, so good to see you, I've been meaning to catch up with you." Tracey gave Dani a dirty look. "Is that so?"

"Why yes, my Aunt and Uncle are looking for a new landscaper and I hear yours offers a lot of special services. You wouldn't mind sharing him, would you?"

Tracey's eyes narrowed. "I don't think I could help _your_ Aunt and Uncle with anything, Dani." At this point Gemma walked in. Dani smiled at Tracey, "Gee, that's too bad. I just came across a few videos of some of the special services your landscaper performs for you." Tracey froze.

"Aunt Gemma, didn't I show you the video of that guy mowing Mrs. Murphy's lawn?" Dani asked, full of innocence. Gemma smirked, "You sure did, baby, looks like he knows just how to trim the bushes, right Tracey?" Gemma winked at her.

They left after that. As they were walking to Gemma's caddy a furious Tracey caught up with them. "What the hell was that about, you biker trash scum?" Gemma looked like she was going to deck her when Dani stepped right in front of her and faced Tracey herself.

Dani's voice was cold and hard. "Listen, you desperate housewife whore, if I hear one more snide comment out of your mouth about my family, my dancing, or anyone I love, the video collection I have of the landscaper fucking your brains out while dear hubby is at the church is going to hit the church's website, Charming's travel website, and your hubby's personal email address. If you don't get the hint after that, I promise I will personally show you just how SAMCRO treats people who try to shit on them."

Dani took out her phone and forwarded one of the videos to Tracey. She paled and looked down at the video now playing on her phone. She looked like she wanted to throw up and kill Dani at the same time. That was the end of any backstabbing on Tracey Murphy's part.

Jax laughed. "Guess there's a lot more of Aunt Gemma in her than I realized. God help us!"

…

"Clay, do we need a full blown lockdown?" "No, but we need to be on our guard, don't go anywhere alone and I want an escort with the Old Ladies at all times."

"Gemma's going to pick Dani up from Berkeley. She has to stay up there to watch the show and she's bringing her back the next day."

"Someone needs to go with her. I don't think they'd try anything, but we need to be careful. Juice, you go with Gemma."

"Jax already put me on Tara. Plus you told me and Chibs to scope out the warehouse in Lodi."

"I need Bobby and Tig here with me, Hap, you go with Gemma. Take the Van, Dani always comes home with a lot of shit."

"Have fun keepin' the Queen and Tights in line Hap." "Fuck off Tig."

…

They were on their feet clapping as Dani and the guy were taking their final bows. He was pissed that he had to sit there next to Gemma for two hours watching a fucking ballet. On top of that, it looked like the main point of the show had nothing to do with ballet and more to do with Dani and that stupid fuckin' fairy sliding all over each other and calling it dance.

"We done?" Gemma looked at him for a second and cocked her head to the side, like she was studying him. He stared back, eyes blank and expressionless.

"No Hap, she has to go to the atrium for photos. I told her we'd meet her there." He gave her a hard look.

Gemma leaned in "Listen Killer, you can pretend all you want that you haven't had a hard on for that girl since you first laid on eyes her, but I know better. Since she rolled into town the only crow eaters you'll look at have blonde hair and long legs. At least now she's legal. Shut the fuck up, take my arm, and bring me to see my niece!"

They got to the atrium and saw Dani and her Ken doll dance partner standing arm in arm posing for pictures. Little kids fawning over them, middle-aged moms drooling on Ken doll's chest, and middle-aged, overweight men leering at Dani in a way that made his hand twitch toward the gun he had in his pants.

She saw them and squealed happily, immediately running over to embrace first Gemma, and then him, wrapping her arm around him in a full body hug. She felt like Heaven and smelled even better, his whole body perking up when he felt her against him. He saw Gemma smirk when he looked at her over Dani's shoulder.

Dani looked back at Gemma and raised her eyebrows in question. Gemma shrugged. Dani knew something must have happened club wise if Happy was here as an escort for her and Gemma. Shit like that happened from time to time.

Gemma and Dani started chatting about nothing important and Happy wasn't paying attention to them, his mind easily blocking out the female chatter. The back of his neck prickled and he looked up and saw Ken doll staring at him, hard. Hap stared right back and leaned into Dani right in front of the fucker, sliding his arm around her waist, figuring he didn't like the way Dani hugged him.

Hap was pissed, who the fuck was this guy? Claiming Dani with that look and eyeing him up like he'd love to take a swing. Bring it on mother fucker!

Dani caught his attention by sliding her hand up his chest and leaning in. She went up on her toes so she could whisper in his ear without being overheard. "Keep staring at him like that Hap and I think he's going to get the wrong impression."

Hap was so pissed he didn't catch the amused tone in her voice. "Why's that Tights, Ken doll over there used to having you all to himself?" Hap pulled her closer, just to piss the fucker off, and looked right down into her face. "Didn't know that's what your type was," he practically sneered that at her.

She chuckled and smiled at that, rubbing both hands on his chest as she fully faced him and leaned even closer, Hap's hands resting just above her ass. "_My_ type is irrelevant here, Hap. However, if you want, I can definitely introduce _you _to him. He normally doesn't go for bad boys, but he did just break up with the guy who played my Uncle in the show. He might be up for a rebound if we're not leaving until tomorrow."

It took a second for the meaning of her words to sink in. As soon as she saw it click for him she leaned in and gave him a peck right on the mouth, laughing the whole time. She stepped out of his arms and scampered back to take more pictures with Ken doll.

He didn't even have to look at Gemma to know that she was doubled over laughing at him.

…

_**Again, thank you for your reviews. They certainly help the creative process! Not too much longer for things to really take off!**_


	4. Chapter 4

**Chapter 4**

_**SOA is the property of Kurt Sutter, I do not own anything you recognize!**_

"Dani, are you working this Friday?"

"No Aunt Gem, I'm only at the hospital on Mondays, Tuesdays, and Wednesdays."

"Why the hell did you ever want to become a nurse instead of a dance teacher?"

"Given the chosen occupation of all my _uncles_, I thought a Nursing degree would be far more practical than a Dance and Performing Arts degree. Besides, I still volunteer for MaryAnne whenever she needs me."

"Can you work the office at the garage for me this Friday? I have some shit I need to do."

"Sure, I'm going out with Kelsey that night but not until later. I can cover things for you."

"Kelsey Murphy? Does her darling mother know that Kelsey still hangs out with the likes of you?"

Dani laughed. "Kelsey always drives whenever we go out so I never see dear old Tracey anymore. Kelsey and her boyfriend broke up _and_ it's Halloween so we're hitting the bars in costume to flirt shamelessly with unsuspecting men until they buy us drinks."

"No creepers. Remember, you see the same guy in two places in less than two days it's not a coincidence, he's either trying to get in your pants, trying to kill you, or both. And don't bother with anyone with a mask on!"

"Don't worry Aunt Gem. I've spent enough time with SAMCRO over the last six and a half years to be able to pick out a bullshit artist when I see one."

…

Dani had been out of school for over a year now. She graduated UC Berkeley with a nursing degree and went right to work as an ER nurse for Charming Hospital. She still taught dance when she could, but it was nearly impossible to make a career out of ballet in a major city, let alone in Charming.

She used some of her trust fund money to buy a two bedroom house close to Aunt Gem and Uncle Clay. The guys all helped her paint it and move her furniture into it. It was a modest house, but she gave it a few modern pieces of furniture and other nice touches to make it homey. Her 50's style, bright red refrigerator and matching 50's diner style table with matching bar stools were her favorite pieces.

The guys were all used to having her around again. They still treated her like a 16-year-old china doll from time to time, but most of them had grown accustomed to the fact that she was 23, lived on her own, and had hung up her tights (for the most part).

She worked as a nurse, helped Tara patch up the guys when they needed it, subbed at the garage when Gemma asked her to, and helped MaryAnne with the dance studio when she could. She still had her moments, but for the most part had recovered very well from losing both her parents when she was only a teenager, as well as having her paternal Grandmother turn her back on her once the will was read and it became known that Dani's parents had chosen Gemma as her guardian, not Grandma Evangeline.

Dani had reached out a few times, but Grandma Evangeline made it quite clear she held Dani just as guilty as she held her mother of turning "her precious son" away from her before he died.

Dani's parents had met in college and fell in love at first sight. Her Grandparents disowned her Dad when they got married, yelling the whole time that he was ruining them by marrying common trash. In their minds, Old Money did not marry someone beneath them. Her mother took it all in stride and had tried to reconnect when Grandpa Edward passed away. Things had gone well until Evangeline referred to a newborn Dani as "the tainted offspring of a hussy and a disappointment of a son." After that, Dani's parents had cut off all contact and started their own company.

Her Dad had enough contacts in the business world, and her Mom had enough sheer determination to start a small software company that grew exponentially within five years of its founding. By the time they passed away, _Harmony Holdings _was a leading provider of ignition software to most of the major Engineering Firms in the country.

From the time she went to live with Gemma and Clay, there had been a monthly stipend from her trust fund deposited into a bank account for her care and keeping. Now that she was of age, the deposits went into her own bank account. The trust had a separate clause that had covered her college education and expenses. She vaguely recalled Ally Lowen, SAMCRO's lawyer, telling her a long time ago that the terms would change again once she turned 25.

All in all, she was enjoying spending her early to mid-twenties close to the SAMCRO family that had basically adopted her after she lost her parents. They still didn't let her anywhere near the club house on Friday nights, but she managed to have fun with the few friends she'd made when she moved to town. She couldn't help but think about how miserable she'd have been if Grandma Evangeline had somehow managed to get custody of her. Thank God, her parents had the foresight to make an air tight, uncontestable will.

…

"You sure you can hear the customers come in over that noise?"

"Samba music is not noise, Bobby! It helps keep me motivated while I clean up in here. I might as well leave Aunt Gem a clean desk. What can I do for you?"

"I need the keys for the Camry and the invoice for the Tahoe."

"Here. Now get out of here before I make you Samba with me!"

Dani turned around and grabbed the stack of files that Gemma had left in a pile on the desk. She had no idea why Gemma refused to modernize the office. It would make things so much easier. She squatted down to put the files in the bottom drawer, her jeans molding to her curves to accommodate the motion. "Did you come in to Samba with me or are you just going to block the doorway?"

He still had no idea how she did that. He didn't make a sound and she wasn't even facing the door when he walked up. He hadn't even seen her in 6 months.

"Slummin' at the garage today, Tights?" He moved all the way into the office.

"Just helping out my dear Auntie Gem while she's out running errands. How long are you back in Charming for?" She stood up, unconsciously taking a step in his direction.

"Transferred from Tacoma for good." He moved closer still.

"I guess I'll be seeing more of you then." One more step forward.

"You still got that number?" He was right in front of her now, hands on his hips and predatory male swagger rolling off him in waves.

"Does it still work?" She raised her eyes right up to his.

"Try it and find out." He saw her eyes drop to his mouth. He slanted his head, moving it down towards her.

"Don't let me interrupt kids!"

She jumped and Hap moved back, away from her. Happy glared at him. "What, Tig?"

"Nuthin'. Just wondering if Dani's finally gonna come to the club house tonight for the annual Halloween party?"

"No, going out with a friend who just broke up with her boyfriend. Besides, if I showed up you know Clay would just make one of you guys babysit me all night."

"By the looks of things Hap here would take good care of ya." Tig grabbed the keys for the car he was working on and walked out.

She stood there a bit awkwardly. Hap had his hands on his hips while he stared at her. "Who you goin' out with tonight?"

"Kelsey Murphy. She's driving."

He pointed at her phone to let her know he was serious, "she flakes, you use that number. Lotta assholes out tonight." He turned around and walked back out to the garage.

She flopped down hard in the office chair. It took a good five minutes for her heart to leave her throat and travel back to her chest where it belonged.

…

_**I hated cutting this short when it was just about to get good but the next plot line would've made the chapter drag on! I promise…we're getting there soon!**_

_**Harmony Holdings is a fictitious company I made up for the story. However, if you google Harmony Holdings, it is in fact, a company somewhere. No connection to the one in this story and no trademark or copyright infringement intended. **_


	5. Chapter 5

_**SOA is the property of Kurt Sutter. I don't anything you recognize!**_

**Chapter 5**

"Kelsey, you look smokin' hot! The Belly Dancer costume is perfect!"

"My mom told me it looked trampy."

"Your mom thinks everything looks trampy. You look fabulous and Brian is a dumbass!"

"It's got nothing on your sexy nurse costume!"

Dani knew Kelsey intentionally ignored her dig on Brian. Kelsey was still head over heels in love with the jackass even though he cheated on her. Brian had been trying all week to get back in Kelsey's good graces but she'd been staying strong. Dani wasn't sure how much longer she could last though.

"Kels, help me make sure these stupid garters are on the right way. I've never worn them before and they itch like hell!"

Dani's costume was the epitome of the "Naughty Nurse." White garters attached to white fish net stockings, a short, tight, white one piece dress that zipped up the front and clung to her body. Two red medic crosses, one on each breast, and a cute little white nurse's hat with another medic cross on it. Chunky red heals matched her red clutch, which happened to look like a miniature version of a doctor's bag. She wore her hair loose and it hung in sexy waves over her shoulders and down her back.

She and Kelsey made a gorgeous pair as they arrived at _The Charming Chugger_, a bar in town favored by the college-type crowd in and around Charming.

A few hours after arriving at the bar, both girls were in _very_ high spirits, largely due to the amount of cosmos and margaritas that had been handed to them since they walked in. Kelsey had slowed down, knowing she had to drive them home, but Dani had no need to worry.

"Dani, that guy at the bar has been staring at you all night."

Dani raised her eyes to look at the guy. He was sitting by himself, staring at her. She didn't get the impression he was checking her out, more like sizing her up. She didn't like it and it made her feel uneasy for some reason.

Dani was just about to tell Kelsey that the guy looked like a total creeper when she noticed Brian walk in and start walking towards them. "Uh oh, Kels, you want me to tell him to fuck off?"

Kelsey looked up and saw Brian. Even though Dani was pretty wasted, she still noticed the look of longing in Kelsey's eyes. "Hi Dani, Kelsey," Brian said, even though he really was only looking at Kelsey.

"What are you doing here Brian?" Dani could hear the hurt in Kelsey's voice.

"I just wanted to see you, talk to you. Can we please just talk for a bit?" Brian had moved closer to Kelsey and was rubbing the side of her arms. "Please Kels, just hear me out, if you're still pissed you can tell me to fuck off, but please just give me a chance."

Dani saw the indecision in Kelsey, so she made the decision for her. "I'm gonna go grab another drink, you guys want anything?" After all, Brian wasn't a terrible guy and she knew Kelsey really missed him. Maybe they should talk their shit out.

Brian gave her a grateful look as he led Dani over to one of the tables near the bar.

Dani walked to the bar and ordered another margarita. She was digging through her purse for a few dollars when the bartender told her it was already paid for. She looked up and saw the creeper from the bar right in front of her.

"Saw your friend ditch you, thought maybe you might be looking for another one."

"She didn't ditch me and the only thing I was looking for was another drink."

"You sure she didn't ditch you?" He asked.

Dani looked over at the table Brian and Kelsey were at and saw them both get up and head for the door. Kelsey made eye contact with her and Dani could see the pleading look in her eyes, begging her to understand.

Dani took a sip of her drink and wondered how the hell she was going to get home tonight.

"Need a ride, Nurse Betty?" The creeper asked her.

Dani couldn't put her finger on it but something about the guy made her uneasy.

"Right now, the only thing I need is to pee." She walked away from him and steered herself towards the ladies room. She went in one of the stalls to pee. The damn garters were so itchy. She finally worked them down and sat. She giggled when she thought of who she could call to come get her when she pulled her phone out.

…

Happy was in the clubhouse, sitting on one of the couches watching a crow eater grind her way up and down the stripper pole. He'd just finished beating the shit out of Kozik in the ring and was ready to sit down and watch whatever show the whore wanted to put on for him. He'd been in a shitty mood since he got to the club house and he'd already chased a few of the girls away from him earlier, not in the mood to deal with the way they clung to him. Pussy was always easy for biker to get. For some reason, any guy in a kutte would do for these girls.

He wasn't a saint, had partaken in that free pussy often. But he never looked at the crow eaters as anything more than an easy way to get his dick sucked. He was so lost in thought trying to figure out why he was in such a shitty mood that he didn't realize the crow eater had come down from the pole and was approaching him for a lap dance. He was just about to let her climb on his lap when his phone rang. He dug it out of his pocket and did a double take when he saw who was calling him.

…

"Dani, you ok?" He barked into the phone. The crow eater was still trying to get on his lap. He stood up, practically dumping her on the floor and walked outside with the phone to his ear.

Dani giggled when she heard Hap's voice. "So the number does work."

"Are you drunk?" He practically yelled at her.

"Drunk is such a funny word." She said, laughing again.

"What do you want, Tights, why'd you call me?"

"My ride got back together with her boyfriend and ditched me. Oh, and there's a creepy guy here trying to take me home with him. He's weird!"

"Where are you?"

"_The Charming Chugger_. My garters are itchy."

"Do not move and don't go anywhere near that asshole. I'll be right there."

He hung up and hopped on his bike. "Where you going?" asked Tig. "Gotta pick someone up," he replied as he peeled out of the lot. Tig had a pretty good idea of who Hap was going to pick up but he didn't say anything when he went back inside. Dani was all grown up now and could do whatever and whoever she wanted to. He wasn't sure how Gem and Clay would take it but what could they do?

…

Dani had managed to get her garters back in place and wash her hands. She ran her hands over her ass to make sure her dress was still in place and tried to stumble back into the bar area to wait for Happy to pick her up. Almost as soon as she left the bathroom the creepy guy was right back in front of her, holding the margarita she left on the bar.

"Thought you might want your drink back." He looked at her hard, not the way a guy looks at a girl in a college bar when he's trying to pick her up. "I'm John, by the way."

Dani just stared at him, her eyes blinking and owlish. She didn't want to be near him but was too drunk to come up with a cutting remark to get him away from her.

"Aren't you going to finish your drink?" He asked her.

"I don't think I want any more to drink." She answered.

"How about that ride home then?" His eyes almost looked maniacal, like if she ever got in the car with him, there would be no getting out.

She was about to tell him to get the fuck away from her when she noticed a commotion by the door. The sight of Happy shoving the bouncer aside and walking in the bar made her let out a huge sigh of relief. She walked away without even saying goodbye to the creepy guy and headed towards Happy.

He was scanning the room for her when he saw her stumbling her way towards him. His eyes practically bugged out of his head at what she was wearing and then immediately turned hard as he realized that every asshole she walked past was looking at her like she was the main course at a buffet.

He grabbed her by the arms. "Are you outta your damn mind?"

She moved all the way in and hugged him. "Thank God. He was really starting to give me the creeps."

"Who?" Dani looked over her shoulder to point him out but the guy was nowhere in sight. It was like he vanished into thin air.

"He was just there a second ago. Can you take me home?"

"Can you stay on the damn bike?" He didn't wait for her to answer as he steered her towards the door. Glaring at anyone that had the bad judgment to look at her while Hap was at her back.

They made their way to his bike and Dani just stood there for a second. "Can you help me get on? My heels are high and I don't want to fall."

Hap sighed as he picked her up and sat her on the bike, then helped her with her helmet. Pulling the ridiculous nurse's hat off her head and throwing it on the ground. He sat down in front of her and started the bike.

"Hold on Dani, tight. You better not fall off the bike." Hap was so pissed that she put herself in this situation that he was practically shaking.

"Anything you want, killer." She replied, rather suggestively.

Again, he was pissed. She didn't even know what she was saying, what she was offering.

Hap took the turns easy and drove slower than he normally would in case the drunk girl on the back of his bike started to fall off. She seemed ok, had her hands locked on his waist and she was leaning her whole body on him, squeezing his legs with her thighs. If he wasn't so worried about her falling off, he would have been extremely turned on.

She smelled so damn good, like vanilla mixed with sugar or something. It was so light and clean compared to what the whores who hung around the club house smelled like. Even though her costume looked like a wet dream, she was still far more covered than any of the crow eaters ever were.

He pulled his bike into her small driveway and killed the engine. He waited for her to get off but she didn't move. He stood up and figured she would follow. She was struggling with the helmet strap. He sighed and took it off her. Then picked her up and stood her on her feet next to him. She swayed towards him and he caught her hard against him.

"Where are your keys?" He asked her. "Just use the garage code, 7411." The girl looked like she would fall if he let her go. He picked her up and threw her over his shoulder, cave man style, while he opened the garage. He took her in the house and set her on the couch. "Dani, I'm going to pull my bike in and close the garage, don't move."

Dani couldn't really have moved if she wanted to anyway. Vaguely she wondered why he'd put his bike in the garage and close it up if he was just going to head back to the club house anyway. By the time he came back in the living room, she had gotten her shoes off and had hiked her dress up so she could get her garters off.

Happy froze when he saw her. She saw him looking and said "They're so damn itchy. Help me get them off, Hap." Happy approached her slowly. He squatted down in front of her, "What did you just say, Dani?"

"I can't get them off, and they itch like a fucking disease. Just help me get them off." His breathing increased and he knew it was stupid but he reached his hands forward to help her. He found the garter belt and slid it down her legs. Her legs felt like silk compared to his work roughened hands. He pulled them all the way down, his cock stiffening as he ran his hands down her long legs.

She leaned forward and her head flopped onto his shoulder. Her hands crept down and pulled the stockings and garters all the way off and threw them away from her. Her hands rested on his chest. "Thanks, Killer, they were killing me." She started laughing at that. "Get it, Killer, and killing me. Maybe you should start bringing garters on runs with you Hap, they'd itch someone to death!" She laughed hysterically and fell off the couch into his lap.

Hap sighed heavily and picked her up, taking her down the hall to her bedroom. He helped her take off the ridiculous nurse's outfit and put on a t-shirt. He tucked her into bed and sighed as he heard her breathing even out. He thought that there might be a special place in Heaven reserved for a guy like him, one who had done a lot of bad shit but then redeemed himself by not fucking the brains out of a drunk, wayward ballerina.

He walked back out to the living room and pulled off his boots, his kutte, and his shirt. He laid down on the couch and tried not to think about the raging hard on he had as he resigned himself to spending the night in order to make sure the girl was ok in the morning.

…

_**We are so close! The next chapter will show Dani and Happy's relationship really take off! I'm loving all the reviews, follows, and favorites. **_

_**Thank you to the Guest who suggested I create a Tara/Dani patching someone up scene. I'm outlining the plot line for that and it will show up in one of the not too far off chapters. **_

_**The Charming Chugger is a bar I invented for the story.**_


	6. Chapter 6

_**SOA is the property of Kurt Sutter. I do not own anything you recognize!**_

**Chapter 6**

Consciousness often comes slowly and painfully to those with a hangover. Dani was no exception to that rule. She became aware of lying in her bed, but had very little recollection of how she got there. She slowly realized she was wearing nothing but a t-shirt and the white thong she wore with her costume last night. She couldn't fathom how she'd had the dexterity to put the shirt on in the first place. Very slowly, and with great caution, she opened her eyes.

It wasn't too bad, particularly when she caught sight of the full glass of water and two aspirin sitting on her night stand. Slowly and gradually she sat up, drank the water, and swallowed the pills. She tried to check her phone but it was nowhere to be found. She sniffed the air and then pulled a few strands of hair over to her nose. She reeked of the bar. Slowly, she stood up and gingerly walked to the bathroom. A shower was definitely in order.

Cool water hit her face and hair and she immediately started to feel better and clearer headed. The smell of the shampoo and the feel of it sliding through her hair as she washed it made her sigh. As she dragged the bodywash-filled pouf over her body she noticed the red marks on her thighs. She furrowed her brow for a second and then remembered how itchy the garters had been.

Her head snapped up. "Oh God," she said out loud. Memories came crashing back. Calling Happy, laughing at words she thought sounded silly, riding home with him, and then begging him to help her take off her garters. She was mortified and had no idea how she'd face him when she saw him again. He probably took off back to the club house and had a good laugh telling everyone how plastered "Tights" had gotten last night.

She got out of the shower, dried off, brushed her teeth, put on a clean baby pink cami and boy shorts sleep set and a dove gray, cotton, thigh-length robe. She brushed her hair out and then toweled it dry to get the rest of the water out. She felt immensely better once she was clean and her hair was dry. The second she found her phone, she'd call Hap and apologize.

She was just about to leave the master bath when she heard the doorbell ring.

…

Hap had woken up the second he heard the shower come on. He hoped she took the aspirin and drank the water. She was young enough that he knew she could recover pretty quick from a hangover if she got on it right away.

He rolled off the couch and stretched. His feet were bare, his jeans unbuttoned, and his shirt was thrown haphazardly on the floor. He stretched out his back and couldn't help but feel that he was getting way too old to be crashing on couches. He left his shirt on the floor as he walked into the hall bathroom to splash water on his face. He found a spare toothbrush and made good use of it.

He walked back to the living room and was just about to pick up his shirt when the doorbell rang. He picked up his gun instead, tucked it in the back of his pants, and walked over to the door.

He pulled the door open and stared at the brown eyed, floppy haired douche bag standing on the step. The guy stared at Hap and looked like he might shit a brick. Hap continued to stare at the guy. Finally, the guy stammered out a sentenced.

"Uh, is Dani here?"

Dani walked down the hallway intending to see who was at the door and froze when she saw a barefoot and bare-chested Happy standing in her living room with the door open, his strong, taut arm braced on the frame. He must've spent the night on the couch. Dani was touched, mortified, fascinated, and excited all at the same time.

She heard a guy who she was pretty sure was Kelsey's ex-boyfriend, Brian, ask for her. She heard Hap respond with "Who the fuck wants to know if Dani's here?" and she snapped out of it and walked the rest of the way down the hall and touched Hap's arm.

He looked at her for a second and then she ducked under his arm and stood in front of him.

"What are you doing here Brian? Where's Kelsey?" Dani remembered that the two of them had left the bar together.

"She had to go to work. She tried calling you this morning but your phone kept going straight to voicemail. She asked me to come over and check on you and make sure you got home in one piece and that you were ok." As he said all this, Brian nervously glanced over her shoulder at Happy and then quickly looked back at Dani.

She was about to answer when she felt Hap's hand squeeze her left hip, warning her to be silent. He moved closer to her and pressed himself up against her back, looking over her shoulder at Brian.

"So let me get this straight," Hap said to Brian, "you're the one who left her at the bar, alone with no ride?" Hap's voice was chilling; Dani had never heard him speak that way before. Brian just stood there, mouth opening and closing like a fish out of water.

Brian looked scared and like he wanted to bolt. Hap had to give him credit though. The kid looked past Hap into the living room and could see Dani's heels, her garters and stockings, plus his shirt, boots and socks thrown haphazardly all over the room. If you hadn't been there last night, you easily could've thought that Hap had ripped Dani's clothes off and took advantage of her the second he got her in the house. The kid took it all in and looked back at Dani. "Are you sure you're ok? I could leave and call someone for you."

Dani reached her arms up behind her and circled Hap's neck with them to let Brian know she was ok. She felt Hap relax behind her. "I'm fine Brian, but maybe next time, don't leave me drunk and stranded at the bar without a fucking ride home."

Brian nodded. "I'll let Kelsey know you're ok."

Hap took his arm that had been braced on the door frame and used it to shut the door in the kid's face. They both heard him let out a deep breath and then walk down the steps towards his car in the driveway.

Dani dropped her hands from around Hap's neck but she still faced the door. Hap's right hand was still braced on the door, parallel to Dani's head. His left hand was still holding her hip, right where her thigh met her waist. Less than a hair's breadth separated their bodies.

Dani was effectively trapped between Hap and the door. She felt him lean forward and press his nose into her hair, right below her ear. He inhaled deeply and she felt something hard rise up in between them. She leaned back into him, slightly, and heard him make a guttural sound. His breathing sounded harsh, or was that hers?

Hap took his hands off the door and her hip and used them to grab her shoulders and gently turn her around. He set his gun on the small table in the entryway and locked the door. Once she faced him, he placed his hands flat against the door and on either side of her, trapping her again. Her eyes looked slightly glazed and he watched her move them over his abs, then his chest, finally bringing them up and meeting his gaze. Hap moved his face closer still and looked right into her blue eyes, waiting for her to decide.

Dani was practically panting. Hap was so close that their breath was mingling together. He was so sexy, so hot, and she wanted to run her hands over every inch of his tattoo-filled torso. He seemed to be waiting for something from her. It might have been a second later, or maybe it was an hour, but she watched herself raise her hands and run them up his chest, moving closer, she slanted her head and kissed him, tentatively.

The second he felt her lips on his, Hap growled fiercely and kissed her back so forcefully that she felt herself slam into the back of the door. His tongue invaded her mouth and hers crept forward to meet it. Their tongues met, swirling, sucking, and fighting for dominance. His hands were all over her, rubbing up her torso, squeezing her ass so hard he knew he would mark her. He wanted his marks on her. She was already too far gone to even realize what he was doing.

He pushed the robe off her shoulders and it fell to the floor. He moved his head down and kissed her neck. Nipping, sucking, and grazing his teeth across her sensitive flesh. She moaned in the back of her throat and he felt goose bumps rise up on her skin. He picked her up off the floor and her legs went around his waist. He felt her lock her heels together and then use them to pull his hips toward hers.

He pulled them away from the door and practically ran with her down the hall to the bedroom. He dropped her on the bed and followed her down, covering her upper body with his bare torso, thrusting his tongue in her mouth again. She wanted to feel him everywhere, wanted to surround herself with his body. She ran her hands up and down his back while he kissed her, grazing her nails down his well-defined muscles.

He couldn't get enough of her. Couldn't taste enough of her. He broke their hard kiss and moved his lips to her neck, biting and sucking. It wasn't enough. He reached between them and pulled on the bottom of her cami, ripping it up her body and over her head, throwing it out of the way. He paused and gazed down at her breasts and his breath caught.

She was perfect. Beautiful, round, peaches and cream skin. Dark pink, puckered nipples practically reaching for his mouth. He dropped his mouth to her breast and sucked, hard. She cried out at the pressure and her hands moved to the back of his head, pulling him closer, demanding that he suck harder.

He moved from one breast to the other and then began to move lower still, dropping kisses and licks along her navel, her stomach involuntarily raising and lowering, seeking his tongue, her hips rising off the mattress, urging him lower still.

He buried his nose in her navel, grabbed the sides of her shorts and pulled them down. He heard her ragged pants and they went right through him. Happy felt that, in all his life, he had never heard a sound that turned him on more than Dani wanting him.

He hovered over her hot center, he sniffed her and his nostrils flared out like a stallions when he smelled her arousal. He nudged her hot center with his nose and he felt her hips fly up, seeking his tongue. He pushed them back down and looked up at her. She met his stare, barely coherent.

"Tell me you want this Dani," he demanded.

"Hap, please." She half panted, half begged.

"Now, Dani, tell me." His voice was gruff. It took her a minute but she got it, she knew he somehow needed her permission. After all the pussy the Tacoma Killer had thrown his way over the years, when it finally meant something to him, he needed her to tell him it was ok, that she wanted it too.

"Hap, please taste me, please fuck me, use your tongue." She barely got the words out before he buried his face in between her legs, attacking her clit with his tongue.

She practically screamed and her hips came off the bed, her heels digging into the mattress. He pushed her hips down and spread her thighs wider, capturing her hands and trapping them under her own hips, raising her up higher towards his tongue.

The sensation of her hands being trapped combined with his tongue on her clit made her wild. Her hips bucked and she fought to throw him off. He was merciless. His hand reached up and he plunged first one and then two fingers into her hot, wet slit, making her writhe.

"Oh God, Hap, I can't…I can't…"

He felt her come apart under his tongue and his fingers, her orgasm causing her to cry out and then collapse her hips. She was panting heavily.

He couldn't wait anymore. He made short work of his jeans and his hands shook slightly as he ripped open a condom and rolled it on his considerable length. He crawled back up her, covering her with his body and kissing her hard.

She could taste herself on his lips and was amazed that she could be turned on by that. She felt him skin to skin with her and wanted to touch as much of him as possible. Her legs moved restlessly against his and she felt his length settle in between her thighs. She knew a moment of panic when she realized how big he was.

"Hap, I don't know if…"

"Shh", he shushed her soothingly, reaching down between them and guiding himself towards her center. Her legs came up around his hips. He slid his length up and down her hot center until she started to move with him. He looked down into those wide, china blue eyes and rocked his hips forward, plunging into her tight heat until he was fully buried inside her.

He didn't think he'd ever had anyone as tight as she was. He didn't think she was a virgin, knew she'd had a boyfriend or two over the years, but she clearly didn't fuck around. She was so tight he was afraid he was going to come right away.

He gritted his teeth and looked down to make sure she was ok. She was looking up at him, her eyes wide and he read both passion and pain in them. It made him feel invincible. He lowered his chest to hers and rested his weight on his elbows. He kissed her deeply and then began to move. Pulling himself out slowly and then thrusting back inside her.

Gradually, she began to move with him. Locking her ankles over his hips and pulling him closer, urging him to go harder, faster.

He obliged, slamming into her again and again. She grabbed his hips and pulled them towards her so she could grind her clit on his cock. He felt her tighten around him and knew he wasn't going to last much longer. He reached between them and used his thumb to circle her clit until she screamed with her orgasm, her muscles pulling him so far inside of her that he thought he touched her womb.

The second he felt her come apart around him he exploded inside of her, growling with his release.

His head hung next to hers, both of them panting deeply and coming down from their sex high. He rolled off her, sat up, pulled off the condom and threw it out, cleaning himself up on a nearby towel. He lay back down and pulled her into his side. Both of their breathing evened out, and eventually they both drifted off to sleep, completed satisfied and wrapped in each other's arms.

…

_**I hope it was worth the wait! As always, thank you for all the positive love and feedback. They really help keep me motivated almost as much as Dani and Happy do! **_


	7. Chapter 7

_**SOA is the property of Kurt Sutter. I do not own anything you recognize!**_

**Chapter 7**

"Have you made contact yet?"

"Yes."

"And?"

"I would've called you if it was done."

"You received the payment?"

"Yes."

"Then I strongly suggest you get it done."

…

Dani came back to herself slowly. Her body felt delicious. Well used, and pleasantly sore. She was curled into Hap's side, her head resting on his chest and her arm across his stomach. His arm trailed down her back.

She should've known this would happen one day. She and Hap had always had an awareness of one another. There were never a lot of words between them, but whenever they had talked there was a charge to the conversation that she'd never felt when talking to any of the other Sons, or anyone else period.

The way he always looked at her made her want to move closer to him and run away from him all at the same time. She knew he'd always protect her, anyone in the club would protect her at all costs, but there had always been something _different_ with Hap.

The sex had been amazing; she never knew it could be like that. She'd only had sex a handful of times before this. It's not easy to have a relationship when you _look_ like you should be with a Ken Doll, but you happened to have spent your teen years with SAMCRO. Ken Doll just looks like too much of a pussy next to the Sons.

She knew he was dozing but she wanted to touch him again, to explore him. To run her hands over every muscle, tattoo, and scar he happened to have. She flattened out the hand she had on his stomach and began to slide it over his abs and up his chest.

His free hand shot up and caught her wrist. "What are you doing, little girl?"

"Touching as much of you as I possibly can. And if you still think I'm a little girl after what we just did, you're a sick fuck!"

He chuckled, and let go of her hand, moving his arms up and folding them behind his head. She pulled herself over him, her knees on either side of him and looked down at him fully. She ran both hands over his chest and down his arms. She was fascinated by his tattoos and traced some of them with her fingers.

Her touch was light, but insistent. He saw the look in her eyes and he knew she wanted to explore him. That she needed to not only feel him, but know him as well. He was already hard again and wanted nothing more than to flip her over and pound into her again but he somehow knew that would ruin things. He wasn't sure what she wanted beyond today, but he didn't want to scare her or make her feel used. All he knew was that he couldn't walk away from Dani right now if his life depended on it, maybe not even if her life depended on it.

She bent down and kissed him lightly, exploring him. Moving herself down his body, she placed light kisses on his cheeks, his neck. When she gently bit his earlobe his hands moved to her ass, his palms rubbing over her, roughly. She kissed him again and her hand moved down his chest and over his abs, over his navel, and then down his thigh. Her eyes met his, the corner of her mouth turning up in a small smirk right before her hand found his length.

His back arched and he gripped her hips roughly, seeking her. She cupped his balls, then moved her hand back up to stroke his length. When she used the tip of her finger to spread the moisture that had come out of the tip his cock, he snapped.

He flipped her onto the bed and reached down to his jeans for another condom. He was on her again in a second, kissing her hard and squeezing her breasts until she moaned. He grabbed her shoulder and turned her over until she was lying on her stomach. He heard her breath catch as he raised her hips and entered her from behind.

"Jesus, Dani." Hap pulled her hips back as he slammed his cock into her again and again. Wild sounds left her throat and she lowered her head towards the pillows, allowing him to move deeper. Within seconds she reached her orgasm, her walls contracting around him, causing him reach his own and spill deep inside of her. Gradually, they came back down to Earth. Once they did, his stomach growled.

…

Dani whipped them up some eggs, bacon, and toast. Having spent several years living with Gemma, she knew it was Old Lady 101 to feed the boys when they were hungry. They were sitting and eating so companionably that she giggled.

He tried to glare at her but couldn't quite pull it off. "Can't a man eat his breakfast in peace?"

"I'm sorry, I've just never pictured doing anything this normal with you in my entire life."

"Finish your eggs, woman!"

She giggled again and finished her breakfast. She stood up and cleared her plate.

"Hap, where is the little purse I had with me? I think my phone is in it and I need to charge it."

"I put it on the coffee table."

She went and plugged her phone in to charge and came back into the kitchen to sit with him while he finished his breakfast. She was having a hard time not staring at him like a high school girl with a crush. He finished his breakfast and put his plate in the sink. He walked to her chair, picked her up, sat in her seat, and then put her back on his lap.

He looked into her eyes. "Blue, we need to talk."

Her face fell and her body tensed. She tried to get up but he held her tight. She took a deep breath. "Okay."

"You got my marks on your neck, my handprints on your ass, and I'm sitting at your kitchen table eating breakfast."

She blinked at him, not sure how to respond. "I'm not sure what that is supposed to mean."

"It means that if I see another guy anywhere near you, even a Son, I'll fucking kill them." His eyes were hard, she could tell he meant it.

She blinked at him again.

"It means your mine, Dani. And I don't fucking share, ever." He practically yelled at her.

"Does that mean your mine as well? I've been around long enough to see the crow eaters and sweet butts. I've seen my Aunt get arrested for cracking a whore in the face with a skateboard, I've seen Tara shoot up a porno star's car. As much as I respect Aunt Gem and Tara, I refuse to stoop to the level of fighting off whores to keep them away from you. If you are claiming me as yours, you damn well better respect what that fucking means and know that I don't give a shit about a crow eater coming on to you, but I will lose my shit all over you if you don't tell her to fuck off."

Her grand speech didn't have quite the effect she had hoped, the bastard laughed at her.

"What the fuck, Hap?" She tried to get up but he held on to her. She struggled against him.

"Calm down, Kitten, I've just never seen such a fierce ballerina before."

"I was dead serious and you better fucking say, right fucking now, that you will stay away from any and all crow eaters, porn stars, and anyone else who tries to fuck you if you ever want to get under my tutu again! Have I made myself clear?"

"Crystal, Tights." She glared at him and he thought it was adorable. He kissed her again.

She got up to check her phone. It was still charging and hadn't switched back on yet. As she was setting it down Hap's phone rang.

…

"Happy, it's Gemma, are you with Dani?"

Hap thought Gemma sounded panicked. "Yeah Gem, she's fine, her phone is dead. What's wrong?"

Hap listened to Gemma and his eyes went hard. He saw the fear jump into Dani's eyes as she perceived the change in him.

Gemma finished giving him what little detail she had and he hung up and turned to Dani. "Get dressed, fast, we need to go to the club house. Tara needs your help."

She could tell there was more he wasn't saying. "Hap, what is it?"

"Dani, fucking get dressed!" He growled at her.

"Tell me what the fuck is wrong, now!" She shouted right back at him.

He glared at her and she honestly wasn't sure if he was going to answer. Then he dropped his eyes.

"Oh, God, who is it Hap? Just please tell me." She was getting hysterical.

He walked over to her and grabbed her arms. He looked right into her eyes. She'd never forget what he said next.

"It's Jax. Let's go, Tara needs you."

…

_**Thank you for all the positive feedback! I really appreciate all of the reviews and messages and I really hope you enjoyed the last few chapters!**_


	8. Chapter 8

_**SOA is the property of Kurt Sutter. I do not own anything you recognize!**_

**Chapter 8**

Dani thought she couldn't have heard him correctly. "What do you mean, it's Jax?"

Hap looked at her sympathetically, "Someone shot him while he was out on club business. Not sure who's responsible yet. It can't be too bad because they have him at the clubhouse but Tara needs you to help her."

Finally, Dani snapped out of it and started moving. She ran to the bedroom and threw on a set of scrubs, pulled her hair back, and packed a change of clothes in the smallest bag she had. By the time she was back in the living room Hap was ready to go.

They got on his bike and took off for the clubhouse. As they pulled out, Dani caught site of a car that was parked down the road. Something about the driver looked vaguely familiar but nothing she could place. Before she could even really think about it they were pulling into the lot at Teller-Morrow.

They walked into chaos. Jax was quiet, pale, and had obviously lost a lot of blood. His arm hung limply by his side and Juice was trying to keep pressure on the bullet wound in his shoulder. Tara's hands were shaking, there were tears in her eyes, and she was trying to get everything she needed out of her doctor bag. Dani noticed Gemma staring daggers at Tara and knew she had to do something.

Dani rushed over to Tara and grabbed her hand, putting enough pressure on it to get her attention "Dr. Knowles, do you need an IV placed?" The professional address and treatment seemed to do the trick. Tara looked back at her, much steadier.

"Yes, run the IV, check blood pressure, administer a local, and sanitize the wound area. We need to extract the bullet and stop the bleeding."

The women worked together for over two hours. They were in the zone that only a highly skilled surgeon and a highly capable nurse can achieve together. Clear concise commands were met with quick, competent movements. Their skill and capabilities were so apparent to all those assembled that everyone was silent, waiting for the female duo to announce that either all was well, or that nothing else could be done and they needed to go to the hospital.

They didn't have to wait much longer. Once Tara removed the bullet, they stopped the bleeding and closed the wound. Tara's surgeon's eye was still in play while she looked over Jax's pale face in addition to his wound.

She snapped her head back in Dani's direction "Blood pressure and heart rate?"

"Stable."

Dani's clear, concise response caused Tara to relax. Dani could see the change in her immediately; she was no longer Dr. Knowles, she was back to being Jax's Old Lady. Dani thought Tara looked like she might collapse.

Dani looked around the room, "Chibs, please take Tara to Jax's old room in the dorms and see that she scrubs all of the blood off." He nodded and gently started Tara moving in the direction of Jax's old room.

"Juice and Tig, after I remove the IV, please help Jax up and take him to one of the empty rooms to lie down and rest. Do not put any pressure on his shoulder. Gemma, go ahead of them and make sure the room is clean and that there are enough pillows to prop both behind him and under his sling." She looked at Gemma again, "also, plan on sitting with him for a bit while I speak with Tara about his care plan."

Dani had been around Tara and Gemma long enough to know that when it came to Jax, those two would always be in a constant power struggle. Keeping them both occupied _and _separate was best for everyone involved.

Dani looked at Clay next "Can the prospects clean this mess up?" He nodded and both prospects sprang into action to clean up the blood, gauze, and general mess that appears when a surgery is performed anywhere outside of a hospital.

Clay looked at the rest of those assembled "Church in twenty, Bobby, with me now" he barked at them and then turned and walked into the chapel.

Dani took off her gloves and threw them in the bag that one of the prospects was using to collect the mess. She looked down and realized she had a decent amount of Jax's blood on her scrubs and they would have to be torched along with the rest of the mess. Something about seeing her cousin's blood all over her scrubs seemed to snap her out of whatever calm, authoritative state she'd been in and her hands started to shake.

Before she could even move, Hap was there, steering her back to his dorm. He brought her in the room and ripped her scrubs off of her and then threw her in the shower. He stripped his clothes and then followed her in, holding her while her breathing evened out.

He washed her like she was a small child, scrubbing all of the blood off of her forearms and slowly massaging life back into her. Once she was clean he turned off the water and dried them both off. He wrapped her up in a towel and then quickly put his clothes back on.

"Tights, I have to go to church. You gonna be able to get dressed and make sure Gemma and Tara don't kill each other?" She nodded at him.

"Good, look at me." She looked up at him. The second those deep blue eyes met his gaze he forgot what he was going to say. It never ceased to amaze him how those eyes brought him completely to his knees every time he got to look into them. He leaned down and kissed her, gently at first. She kissed him back and it changed into something much more carnal. He rubbed his palms up and down her arms and practically growled as he ended the kiss and moved away from her.

He grabbed her chin and tilted her face up "You did good out there, Tights. Find Tara and figure out what to do about her and Gemma." He gave her a quick, reassuring peck on the forehead and then left the room.

…

"What do we know Clay?"

"Not much, he saw a car, didn't really see the face of the driver. He was lucky he made it back here."

"Niners? Mayans?"

"No, nothing about it adds up to it being any of our local colleagues. It feels personal. None of the beef we have with anyone would lead to a personal attack like this. One thing is for sure, we need to find the fucker. Full retaliation."

…

Dani had gotten dressed and spoken with Tara about care for Jax. The plan right now was for him to rest at the clubhouse for the night and be moved back to their house tomorrow. Somehow, Dani managed to talk Tara into going back home to be with the boys. Lyla had watched them all morning and she knew the boys would want at least one of their parents with them.

After Tara left, Dani went to go see Gemma. She approached quietly, even though Jax was out like a light due to the painkillers. She looked over the wound, checked his vitals, and then sat down next to Gemma. She let out a huge breath that she didn't realize she'd been holding. He really was going to be ok.

She looked up and saw Gemma staring at her. "Has he woken at all?" Gemma shook her head. "Good, he'll heal faster if he rests." Gemma nodded, but was still staring at her. Dani saw Gemma's eyes land on the love bite on her neck and she blushed and looked away.

"Want to tell me why I had to call Hap to find you?"

"Kelsey ditched me last night after her boyfriend showed up at the bar. I was drunk and needed a ride home so I called Hap."

"He take advantage of you?"

"No, not at all!" Dani was outraged on his behalf. "He took me home and tucked me in. I didn't even realize he'd slept on the couch until I went to answer the door and saw that he beat me to it." Dani shrugged, not really wanting to elaborate but knowing Gemma wouldn't leave her alone. "After that things just sort of happened."

"And?"

Dani sighed. "I don't know, we talked this morning before you called. I think we're together. He told me he kill anyone who even looked at me and I told him I wasn't planning on beating off any crow eaters, but that I'd basically cut his balls off if he didn't chase them away on his own."

Gemma practically snorted. "Can't say I'm surprised. With you and Hap I think it was always a matter of _when_ as opposed to _if_. I'm just glad he waited until you were legal."

Dani blushed. "You're not pissed?"

"No baby, who the hell else would you end up with but a Son? Those dancing fairies look great, but they never would have made you happy. Just make sure he treats you right and be a good Old Lady."

Dani looked at her. She loved her Aunt Gem but she couldn't help but disagree with Gemma's philosophy of 'What happens on a run stays on a run.' If Hap planned on being with her, it had to be real. Before she could voice anything about her own philosophies, the door cracked open and Hap walked in.

…

"He ok?"

"Seems to be, nothing to worry about other than how we can get him to rest long enough for things to heal."

Hap gave her a dry look. If he'd been the one who got shot there'd be no way he could lay in that bed and rest while the fucker that did it was out walking around.

He looked between her and Gemma. "Tara go home?"

"Yeah, she had to get the boys from Lyla. I convinced her to stay home with them while we let Jax rest here. I told her I'd call her with a status report later."

Hap nodded, standing there somewhat awkwardly.

Gemma rolled her eyes at him. "For God's sake, Hap, just ask her to go back to your room with you!" she blurted out.

Dani blushed and Hap looked down at his feet before his eyes came back up and he looked at Dani. "Come back to my room when you're ready." He walked out and they heard his boots carry him down the hall.

Dani looked at Gemma, she'd never felt this awkward in her whole life.

Gemma sighed "Dani, you're a beautiful young woman. Nothing wrong with getting a little lovin' from Hap if he is what makes you happy. I think he's been waiting for this for years. Don't make him wait longer than he has to."

Dani got up and hugged her tight. "Love you Aunt Gem."

Gemma hugged her back. "Love you too baby, now go make him happy!"

…

Dani walked down to Hap's room, went inside and closed the door behind her. Hap was standing near his dresser and it looked like he'd just taken his shirt off. "Lock the door."

She locked the door and then turned around, suddenly shy.

"What's this about?" He asked as he approached her, using his fingers to nudge her chin up so he could look at her. She shrugged.

"Gemma gave us her blessing."

"You think that would've stopped me after this morning?"

"No, but it might have been enough to stop me if she was really upset."

"Good thing she isn't then." He looked at her for a second. "You okay, Tights? You sick of me already?" He said it fiercely but she heard the uncertainty there as well.

"Of course not!" She said just as fiercely. "I just feel awkward. I don't feel like we need to announce that we're together, but I know I'll feel weird when everyone starts to stare at us. I don't even know what to do about the crow eaters," she tapped her foot and started pacing, "and on top of that, my cousin got shot by someone today and I had to help Tara dig a bullet out of him and then keep my Aunt away from her so they didn't kill each other."

She stopped her pacing and stared at him, and then her face fell. "I'm sorry, Hap. I'm so tired and all my adrenaline went down the drain the minute Tara cleared Jax." She looked at him pleadingly, hoping he'd forgive her outburst.

He didn't say anything for a long time, just stared at her. He walked over to her deliberately and nudged her chin up again, and then he leaned down and kissed her.

It started slow, helping to quiet and comfort her, and then it grew, right along with his cock. She participated fully in the kiss, letting his tongue invade her mouth and then using her own tongue to mate with his.

His hands rubbed her arms and then slid his hands around to her ass, cupping her through her leggings. Kneading and squeezing. She winced a bit, still tender from where he grabbed her so roughly this morning. He softened his grip but didn't let go. Her arms wound around his neck and she rose on her toes to meet his kiss, pressing her body against him fully.

He felt her breasts against his chest and he reached down and pulled her shirt up and threw it on the floor, then made quick work of her bra. He led her over to the bed and gently pushed her down so she sat on the edge. He took off his jeans and joined her on the bed, the two of them moving towards the center.

He kissed her mouth, her neck, her ears, and moved down to her nipples where he gently sucked, nipped, and rolled them with his tongue. Her hands slid up his hips and then wrapped around his neck. She arched up to meet his mouth and pulled his head down tightly against her breasts. She moaned at the pressure and her legs moved restlessly against his.

Hap heard her moan and thought he might cum right then. He reached down and pulled her panties off with her leggings and threw them on the floor. They lay together, skin to skin, hands roaming over each other's bodies in a frenzy.

His hand reached down in between them and he palmed her mound. She was dripping wet for him and pushed her hips towards his hand.

He squeezed roughly, "Who does this belong to, Dani?"

"Hap, please!" She didn't want to beg but her body needed him just as much as his needed her. She was wound so tight from the day's events that if he didn't fuck her right now she was in serious danger of screaming, or crying, or both.

"Who, Dani?"

She looked up at him, stared at him intently and reached her own hand in between them and grabbed his cock. She stroked him aggressively and heard him hiss between his teeth. She pulled herself up and whispered right next to his ear "It's yours, Hap. It's your pussy, and if you don't shove your cock in it soon, I'm going to fucking kill you!"

He pushed her back down to the mattress and thrust fully inside of her. She wrapped her legs around him and he groaned. He started to move and she moaned, arching her hips up high in order to give him better access to her clit.

He thrust again and again into her hot core. She kept making those breathy sounds in the back of her throat and he knew she was close. He leaned down and captured her scream in his mouth as she shattered around him. Somehow, he didn't want the whole clubhouse to hear Dani getting fucked in his room. He didn't want to embarrass her like that. She jammed his hips down to grind on her clit some more and he followed her over the edge, spilling himself inside her.

He grabbed a towel for them to clean up with and then pulled her into his side to rest. She looked up at him and stroked his cheek with her palm. She felt like an idiot, knowing she was falling hard for the Tacoma Killer. She dozed off wondering if the Tacoma Killer could ever love just one person for the rest of his life.

…

_**Thank you all SO much for your reviews, favorites, and follows. They make the story worth writing and your suggestions certainly help story lines take off in my brain! I really appreciate you taking the time to leave feedback. **_


	9. Chapter 9

_**SOA is the property of Kurt Sutter. I do not own any of the show or its characters!**_

_**I want to thank everyone that has taken the time to follow, favorite, and especially those of you have posted reviews. Reviews, both positive and negative, are extremely helpful to the writing process. I try to take the time to respond to all of them in a positive and professional manner and consider myself grateful that I have not had to block/remove any reviews. **_

_**Again, thank you for your support, it is very humbling to receive!**_

**Chapter 9**

Dani awoke warm and comfortable in Hap's bed. Hap was nowhere to be found. She stretched like a cat, then got up and got dressed. She peeked in on Jax and found Gemma still sitting with him.

"Any changes?"

"No, he woke up briefly and then went right back under."

Dani looked over his vitals, checked for a fever or anything else abnormal, and then realized he just needed rest right now.

"I'll call Tara and give her a status report. He's going to be a bear when he wakes up."

"I know. I'll keep an eye on him." Gemma went back to reading in the corner and Dani wandered out to the club house to see if she could find Hap. She found Bobby instead.

"Hi Kitten, muffin?"

"Absolutely Bobby, I'm starving! Where is everyone?"

"Most of the boys went out looking for a strange car and driver that we got a few calls on. Not much of a lead, but it's better than nothing."

Dani nodded while she ate her muffin. "Are any of the prospects here?"

"Why?"

"I rode in with Hap and I have no idea when he'll be back. I want to check on Tara and the boys and then head back to my place and clean up."

"I'll have Rat take you."

"Thanks Bobby!" She gave him a kiss on the cheek and went back to Hap's room to gather up the rest of her stuff.

…

They pulled into Tara's and Dani was relieved to see her. She looked good. Phil was there as a precaution. They still didn't know who shot Jax and Clay didn't want them to take any chances. A prospect would be with both of them for the foreseeable future. Rat and Phil went outside to play with the boys while she and Tara had a cup of coffee.

"He looks good, Tara. Vitals are good and he's going to be fine. He was still out when I left. Do you need anything?"

"Just some sanity. Every time I think things are going to calm down and we can live normal lives some new shit comes our way. Mix that in with Gemma wanting to spend every spare second of her time up Jax's ass and I start to wonder what a normal day even looks like for the wife of a Son."

Dani stared at Tara thoughtfully. She couldn't quite wrap her head around the last 24 hours. Less than a day ago she'd been getting ready to go to a college bar with Kelsey, both of them dressed in the semi-slutty outfits that seemed to be ok for "good girls" to wear on Halloween. The next day she was sitting at Tara's table after having spent the morning and the early afternoon having sex with a biker almost 20 years her senior with an operation on Jax's shoulder mixed in between those sessions.

She and Hap were together, he claimed her this morning. Told her he'd kill any guy that looked at her and she responded by claiming him right back. Told him she'd cut his balls off if he didn't run the whores off. Gemma was right, there had always been something there with her and Hap. The way he looked at her, the way she always knew he was there, how her body seemed to come alive the second she thought about him.

She was so lost in thought she jumped when Tara touched her hand. "Want to tell me about Hap?"

"I don't really know what to say. I don't want to sound like a naïve idiot. I know it's going to be hard, but I also know it's real. Not something you can ignore. Even if I had wanted to stop it, I don't know how I possibly could have. Even if you could go back in time, would you have stopped it with Jax?"

Tara stared at her for a long time before responding. "I look at my life, I look at my boys and I love them so much it hurts. You're right, wild horses couldn't have kept Jax and me from colliding again. Sometimes I hate that. I was gone for so long, we both tried to build new lives; it just didn't work for us, being apart. On good days, I know I can handle it. The club, the bullshit, even Gemma. On bad days, I curse the day I ever came back."

Dani just stared; Tara had never opened up to her or anyone about the club life before. About what it really means to be an Old Lady.

Tara continued "On any given day, you know your man might get shot at, might have to shoot someone, might get arrested, might get killed. On top of the danger, there are the crow eaters, the whores who think the greatest thing in the world is sucking a biker's cock." Tara wasn't even looking at Dani as she went on.

"None of it makes sense on paper. Between the danger, the crazy mother-in-law, and the whores, it doesn't make any sense to stay in it. No one on the outside understands, and the ones on the inside all wind up turning on each other at one point or another."

"Why do you stay?"

Tara looked at her and smiled, all the stress melted away from her face and she looked ten years younger. More like the happy teenager that fell in love with the Prince of the Sons as opposed to the weary wife who just dug a bullet out of his shoulder.

"When you're with these guys, you don't get hearts and flowers, or peace of mind. You don't get dinner and a movie, or a 9-5 work day. What you do get is honest love, the kind you see in their eyes and feel in their arms. You get security, more than you want sometimes, but it still makes you feel safe. You get an intensity that never fades, how can it when any given day might end with a fight or a funeral? You also get a whole 'family' full of people who are the only ones who understand what you're going through. There are days when I want to strangle Gemma in her sleep, but at the end of the day, she's the only one who knows what it's like to be where I am."

Dani nodded thoughtfully. Tara was right, none of it made sense, except for the fact that it did. Even if you left, it was still there, still a part of you. Living with the Sons changes the way you see the world. Changes what you're willing to fight for.

Phil came back in carrying Thomas, who was sound asleep on his shoulder. Looks like it's nap time. Dani checked her phone, nothing from Hap. "Hey Rat, I want to go home. I left the place a mess and Tara needs to get the boys down for a nap." Rat nodded.

Tara gave Dani a big hug. It was a strange feeling to know she just started walking down the path that Tara started on so long ago. There were too many 'Danger! Turn back now!' signs to count, but the path had been chosen the second she dialed Hap's number last night. Maybe even long before that.

…

Dani texted Hap to let him know that she'd just left Tara's and that Rat was taking her back to her house. She didn't hear back from him, but then she didn't expect to. Club business was club business.

It felt strange to be on the back of Rat's bike. Rat had been trying to act tough and take care of her all at the same time. She knew he could hold his own, but he didn't have that inner steal she was used to feeling ooze out of every pore on Hap's body.

They pulled up to her place and it was strangely quiet. She got off the bike and looked at Rat. "Something doesn't look right."

"What do ya mean?"

"I don't know. It just doesn't look right."

Rat walked ahead of her up to the door. He took the gun out of his pants and held it in front of him. He pushed on the front door and it swung wide open. "Fuck!" He picked up his phone and called Hap on the burner.

"What?"

"I brought Dani back to her place. Someone trashed it, it's a mess."

"On our way."

Dani looked around at the mess that was her home. Furniture knocked over, the couch slashed, and every drawer had been pulled out and emptied. She wanted to cry. She started to walk back to the bedroom but Rat put a hand on her shoulder.

"Hap would kill me if I let you wander around before he got here." She knew he was right, normally she would have gone back anyway but she was in such shock seeing her house like this that she just stayed put.

She vaguely heard the sound of several motorcycles pulling up and then stopping altogether. Next thing she knew there were five more kuttes in her house and Hap had grabbed her arms and made her look at him.

She started muttering "Hap, I don't know who it could be, I swear. I've never done anything to anyone, it doesn't make any sense." She started sniffling and when he pulled her close, he felt her tremble.

They all spread out and looked around the house. Hap looked at Dani, he didn't want to leave her but he didn't want her to see this shit. "Stay here. Rat, don't let her back there."

Dani just stood in the middle of the living room. She couldn't take it so she walked back outside and sat on the front steps, Rat sitting down next to her.

Chibs looked around the bedroom, disgusted. "One's things for certain brother, this was personal, aye?"

Hap was furious. The mattress was tossed, and all of the drawers had been pulled out and flipped. The closets were open and every shoe box on top of the shelves has been tossed. The word WHORE had been written in scary looking letters across the mirror.

"Hap, take a look at this." Tig had called him over to the bed. "This from you?"

Hap was disgusted. Whoever did this was one sick motherfucker and Hap was going to make damn certain that they died a very slow and painful death. Dani's baby pink sleep shorts had been on the floor this morning where he threw them after he practically ripped them off of her. The motherfucker had picked up her shorts and jerked off in them before throwing them back on the bed.

Juice came into the bedroom. "They're looking for something. Whatever it is it's important to them."

"What do you mean?"

"Every drawer is tossed, every closet has been gone through, and the hard drive from her computer is missing."

They looked at him, almost confused.

"What could the lass possibly have that someone wants?" Chibs said, almost to himself. "She's been in Charming since she was 16 for Christ sakes!"

They never got the chance to answer. The sound of a loud, female scream reached their ears, followed immediately by gun shots. Tires squealed as a car sped down the road.

All of them flew towards the front door, afraid to think about what they might find when they got there.

…

_**Again, thank you so much for all your feedback! Hope to post again soon!**_


	10. Chapter 10

**Chapter 10**

_**SOA is the property of Kurt Sutter. I do not own anything you recognize!**_

…

All five of them practically flew through the living room and out the front door, guns drawn. Tig and Chibs kept going, jumping on their bikes and following the car as fast as they could. Rat screaming that they were looking for a silver Camry.

Hap looked down and tried to make sense of what he was seeing. Rat was sprawled over Dani, both were covered in blood. Rat was screaming and trying to move off of Dani. Dani wasn't moving at all. There was so much blood but you couldn't tell who it belonged to.

Juice and Kozik hauled Rat off of Dani. Hap squatted down next to her. He couldn't hear anything anyone was saying, just a solid ringing in his ears as he reached for Dani. His hands shook as he turned her over. He put his head down towards her chest. She was breathing. Her pulse was strong. He passed his hands over her and didn't find any holes. Slowly, the ringing in his ears subsided.

Kozik was grilling Rat, "What the fuck happened?"

"We heard a car coming up fast. Dani looked at the guy and started screaming. I saw him start to raise his arm and I didn't think, I just jumped on her. He wasn't even lookin' at me, aimed right at her. I didn't have time to fire back."

Hap ran his hands over Dani's head and found the bump on the side. Her head must have hit the brick porch when Rat jumped on her. Rat had accidentally knocked her out. She might have a concussion, but she wasn't hit. The planter behind her, the one he knew she loved because it was a gift from Gemma and it happened to be the same blue as her mom's eyes, was shattered. A bullet lodged in the front of the house was at the same height her head had been at. If Rat hadn't tackled her, she would've been dead.

Rat had been hit twice, once in the back of the leg, and once right in his ass. He was bleeding like a stuck pig but he'd live. They heard the sirens. Someone had called the cops. Hap looked at Juice, "Call an ambulance and put our guns in the saddle bags on the bikes, if they don't have a warrant for the bikes they can't look inside. We need to shut the door to Dani's house and lock it tight, keep the cops out. They might not look inside if they think we just pulled up and someone shot at us."

"Hap?" Dani was coming around. Hap looked down at her. He held her on his lap like a baby.

He smiled down at her, trying to chase the scared look out of her eyes. "Hey Tights, you tryin' to get shot on me?"

She stared up at him, wide-eyed, and started to struggle. He only held her tighter. "Tights, the cops are on the way. I only have a few seconds before they're here. We're taking you and Rat to the hospital, they're going to separate us and talk to you. Don't tell them about the break in. Just that we were hanging out on the porch and someone drove by and shot at us. You didn't see anything, it happened so fast. It was just us. Don't mention Tig and Chibs, they went after the bastard. Got it?"

She nodded at him and winced when she moved her head. He sat her up, just as the cops were pulling in.

Roosevelt jumped out of the car with his gun drawn. Hap, Juice, and Kozik immediately raised their hands up to show they were unarmed. "We had reports of a shooting, what the hell happened here?"

Juice answered him, "We were hangin' out on Dani's porch when a car came out of nowhere and started shooting. Rat jumped over Dani and she hit her head, he got hit. I called an ambulance."

Roosevelt listened but it was pretty clear he didn't believe any of it. The ambulance pulled in just as he squatted down in front of Dani. "Are you ok, Ms. Harrison?"

"I hit my head pretty hard and knocked myself out when I fell back. My head hurts a lot but I wasn't hit. The blood is Rat, uh, George's."

"Why don't we take you inside and talk about what you saw?" Roosevelt was looking at Happy when he asked her.

"Actually, Sheriff, I need to go the hospital. I'm pretty sure I have at least a mild concussion. I'm sure you know that I'm a nurse and I don't want to mess around with a brain injury. I feel so dizzy." As if on cue, Dani leaned over the side of the porch steps and vomited spectacularly into the bushes.

The EMTs already had Rat in the ambulance. Two of them got down in front of Dani and began to assess her. Roosevelt nodded. "Alright, I will follow you to the hospital. I want to hear about what you saw. Sometimes even the smallest detail can help us."

The EMTs got Dani up and hauled her off for observation. Hap looked at her before she got in the ambulance. "We'll be right behind you." She nodded and they closed the door in his face. She closed her eyes and the next thing she knew the doctor at the hospital was shining a light in her eyes.

…

Hap and Juice went to the hospital. Kozik left to go back to the club house and fill everyone in on what happened. By the time he got there, Jax was up and about, and predictably pissed. Tig and Chibs came in next.

"What the fuck?" Jax was pacing around like a caged tiger. "First I get shot outta fuckin' nowhere, with no leads, and now someone's shooting at Dani too?"

Clay looked at him and sighed. "Calm down. We know a hell of a lot more than we did this morning. Tig, Chibs, what did you find?"

"He lost us about a mile outside of town. We rode around for a while trying to pick up a trail but we got nowhere. Figured it might be connected to the calls we got about that strange car so I put in a few calls to all the motel managers we know outside of town. Asked them if they'd seen a silver Camry. We're hoping Dani can give us a better description of the guy."

Clay nodded. "We need to take a ride over to her place now. The sheriff is still at the hospital trying to get info outta her and Rat. Rat won't say shit to them and Hap coached Dani on what to say and what not to say. I want to look at her house before the cops head back there."

Kozik looked at them all "I saw the place for myself, the fucker was definitely looking for something, shit was everywhere and he'd gone through every drawer, every closet, and he took her computer. Plus, he jacked off in some of her pajamas and then left them on the bed. Wrote 'Whore' on the mirror."

The guys all looked disgusted and furious at the same time. Robberies were one thing, looking for something was another thing, both dangerous, but neither of those was perverted. The fact that the fucker left his cum all over her pajamas and called her a whore told them that if he ever actually got his hands on Dani he'd mess her up badly. None of them wanted to think about that.

…

Dani was diagnosed with a mild concussion and told to take it easy for the next few days. One of her coworkers from the hospital had brought her some clean scrubs to put on. The second she received her discharge papers Roosevelt pounced on her. "Ms. Harrison, I was hoping we could speak about what you saw before you hit your head?"

"Of course, Sheriff, but there really isn't much I can tell you. One second I was talking to Rat, the next second he jumped on me and my head hit the bricks."

Dani held his gaze, but she could tell he didn't believe her. She knew Roosevelt thought the Sons were responsible for everything that went wrong in Charming. Sometimes they were. In this case, no one knew who was responsible. Dani didn't have anything that would make someone want to kill her.

"Perhaps, Ms. Harrison, you would feel more comfortable if we were alone, and then you could try and remember a bit more about what you saw?"

Hap glared at Roosevelt. He hadn't left Dani's side the whole time she was at the hospital.

"Sheriff, I told you everything I know, perhaps, instead of trying to get information I don't have, you could start talking to any other witnesses that might have seen something. Someone obviously called the police, perhaps _they_ saw something. If it's ok with you, I'd like to leave now. If you recall, someone shot at me and now I have a concussion. I'd like to go home and lay down."

Roosevelt actually looked contrite when he looked back to her. "Of course, Ms. Harrison, I will probably stop by tomorrow to check on you and see if you happen to remember anything else."

"I would suggest you come to my Aunt Gemma's house, I'm sure she will want me to rest there."

Roosevelt nodded and then left. Predictably, he didn't get anything out of Dani or Rat. They knew he'd come back, but Hap hoped they had a lead on whoever the fucker was by the time Roosevelt showed up again.

Hap looked down at Dani. "You did good, Tights. Come on, I need to take you to the club house."

Dani got up and leaned into Hap. She felt like hell and was a bit shaky on her feet. She closed her eyes and sighed while Hap held her. "Do I have to go to the club house? I feel like shit and I'm not in the mood to listen to a party at a biker bar while I bounce back from a concussion."

"Relax. Clay cancelled the Saturday night crowd. He wants us all focused on finding whoever did this. He thinks Jax's shooting and your shooting are connected. Everyone is meeting back at the club house to try and figure it out."

"How's Rat?" Hap smirked, "Fine, took a bullet in the back of the leg and another one in his ass. They wanted to keep him overnight but he refused. Juice took him back."

They got to the lobby and Dani saw Gemma there waiting for her. Gemma locked her in a powerful, Mama Bear sized hug. "You scared the hell out of me Dani!"

Dani smirked, "My apologies Aunt Gem. I'll be more careful next time I get shot at."

Dani was happy to see her. She didn't think she was up to riding on the back of Hap's bike right now. She and Gemma would ride back in the 'cage' and Hap and Tig would ride behind them.

…

The ride back to the club house was uneventful. Once inside, Clay gave Dani a firm hug. "You gave us all a scare there, kiddo, looks like now that you're all grown up we need to take better care of you."

Dani was stunned. Clay was always polite to her when she lived with him and Gemma, but never affectionate. She knew Gemma loved him, but she'd always thought of him as a bit cold. She hugged him back. She hadn't had a fatherly embrace in over 6 years.

"I need you to come into chapel and tell us what you remember."

Dani followed them in. She'd only been in the chapel once or twice, and only to get Jax or Clay, never to sit down and share what she knew.

She filled them in on everything. How she met a scary guy at the bar, how he gave her the creeps and tried to make her leave with him before Happy got there. How this morning, when she and Hap left her house, the same guy was in a car down the street. She didn't remember him at first, but knew he looked familiar. Then later, when she and Rat were outside, she saw him again. She had locked eyes with him and started screaming as soon as she saw his arm start to rise. Before she even saw the gun, she knew he intended to kill her. She had recognized him when she looked at him, remembered that he was "John" from the bar.

The guys all listened to her. "What do you think he wanted from your house?"

"I have no idea. I don't think I own anything that would make someone tear everything apart like that."

Clay looked at her. "Alright kiddo, go get some rest. You have to stay here for now. Between you and Jax both getting shot at, I can't let you leave until we know what we're dealing with."

Dani nodded and left chapel. Gemma was waiting for her in the club house and she told her everything she'd just shared with the guys. Gemma brought her back and tucked her into Hap's bed to get some rest. Gemma knew Hap would need to see her there when he came out of chapel, he'd need to know she was safe for now. It had been a hell of a day.

…

Clay looked at Jax after Dani left. "Does the description of that guy match your shooter?"

"Sounds right. I didn't get a great look at him but he definitely had a silver car and was intent on hitting me. I was definitely his target."

Juice surprised them all by speaking up, "Does this feel weird to anyone else? Like this has nothing to do with SAMCRO, even though Jax got shot first?"

They all nodded. Dani had never had any trouble before this. She was polished, educated, and had a look about her that allowed her to blend in with Charming's upper crust crowd, yet she'd spent enough time with SAMCRO to be able to handle herself when she needed to. She was a rare breed in that she was accepted by both worlds. Somehow that dual acceptance had allowed her to remain immune to a lot of the more dangerous activities that went on in Charming, despite her connections to SAMCRO. No one had targeted her before this.

Hap spoke up, "the bastard was shootin' to kill. He wanted her dead. There are only a few reasons why people kill each other. One is retaliation, and things have been quiet around here lately, nothin' club related would cause anyone to go after her or Jax like that. Another is anger, the personal kind that makes you snap and murder someone with your bare hands. She'd never seen this guy before and she's been here 6 years. That ain't it either."

He definitely had their attention. They weighed his words heavily. He was right; there really were only a handful of reasons for most murders. This wasn't a hate crime, it wasn't retaliation for club business, and this wasn't some crazy ex-lover coming to get her. Plus, why go after Jax too?

Tig furrowed his brow and looked at Hap. "If it's not retaliation and it's not anger, what is it?"

Hap looked at them all, "Money. Find the money and you'll find your shooter."

…

_**Thank you again for sticking with Hap and Dani. A lot of plot in this chapter! Hope it didn't bore you to tears! Keep the feedback coming! It really helps with motivation!**_


	11. Chapter 11

_**Warning: Lemons contained within. M rating is well deserved for this chapter. **_

…

_**SOA is the property of Kurt Sutter, I do not own anything you recognize!**_

**Chapter 11**

Clay looked at Juice, "Tap into her bank records, look anywhere you can think of. She hasn't been hiding anything from us, but maybe it will help us figure out where to look."

"Everyone, be on the lookout for this guy or for anything else that seems out of place. If he went after both Jax and Dani in the same day we know he's dangerous. Even if this is personal, he knows she's connected to us. He might try to go after anyone of us to get a hold of her."

They all nodded. Everyone would be on high alert with this guy running around. Even if he left town for now, someone would be around to replace him before long.

"We done here?"

"One more thing," Clay raised his eyes and looked directly at Hap. "Gemma wants to see you before you leave the club house again. Any idea what that could be about Hap?" The way Clay was grinning at him like a Cheshire cat told Hap he knew exactly why Gemma wanted to see him.

Hap was pissed. Everyone around the table was looking at him. Some amused, some confused, and some hostile. Hap didn't like the attention. "I'll see her when we're done."

"You do that, she doesn't like to be kept waiting." The guys all chuckled.

Church cleared out. Juice headed for his laptop, Jax was heading to his house with a prospect in tow. Tig, Chibs, and Kozik were going to head out and have another look around town when Tig's phone rang.

"Clay, the manager of the motel called, there's a silver Camry in his parking lot, we'll go check it out."

Hap was about to go with them when Gemma stopped him. "Hap I need a hand over here if you don't mind." She walked back into the kitchen behind the bar and it was clear she expected him to follow. He looked at Clay and saw him chuckle at him.

Hap sighed and followed her in. "What do you need Gemma?" Hap asked her politely but the hostility was practically radiating off of him. He didn't want anyone sticking their nose in his personal business, even if it was Gemma.

"I'm making some tea for Dani, I put her to bed in your room, didn't think you'd mind." She stared directly at Hap when she spoke, then she waited.

Hap looked at her "You want me to bring it to her?"

"What do you think I want Hap?"

"Thought we had your blessing."

"_She_ has my blessing. _You_ know I love you and have run the crazy whores off for you before. _She_ is also my niece, the daughter of my sister, whom I loved dearly. I'm not sure if you thought about it Hap, but you have to realize what will happen, and not just to Dani, if you don't take this seriously. Do you really think _any _of the guys would stand for you making her unhappy?"

Hap hadn't really thought about it. She was right though. Dani was everyone's unofficial kid sister. He'd always thought of her in a protective way, but he also always knew there was something about her. He'd wanted her for so long that he never thought about what the guys would think about him being with her. He didn't want to think about it now. He and Dani had always had something between them. He never thought about what that might look like to the rest of the club.

"I ain't going anywhere Gem."

"You hurt her, and it will cause trouble for the club. You knock her up, and I _will_ make you march her down the aisle. Clear?"

"Clear."

"Good, bring her this tea. She needs to be woken up. We need to wake her up every few hours and make sure she's still ok and that her head hasn't gotten any worse."

…

Hap carried the tea down the hall to his room. He didn't really know what to think about Gemma's little speech. He wasn't planning on fucking Dani over, but he hadn't really been thinking about what they would do long term. He didn't even know what she wanted. He'd never shared pussy in the past, but once he was done with it, it was fair game for everyone else. It wasn't like that with Dani. The thought of letting anyone else have her had him seeing red. He couldn't even think about what Gemma said about kids. They'd used protection, would continue to use protection. He never knew his own Dad, wasn't sure if he wanted kids of his own. Did _she_ want kids?

He opened the door to his room as quietly as possible. It was late, it had been a hell of a day, and he wasn't sure what would happen tomorrow.

Every confusing thought he had in his head about what they were doing flew away when he looked down at her. She was curled up in his bed and was fast asleep. She was wearing one of his t-shirts and nothing else. Her long, blonde hair was spread all over his pillow. Whatever they had, it was instinctual. He couldn't have stayed away from her if he wanted to, and right now, all he wanted to do was feel her against him and know she was safe.

He put the tea down on the night stand and then sat on the bed next to her. He ran his hands over her hair and pushed it back from her face. Her eyes fluttered open and she looked up at him. Neither of them said anything. Her eyes froze him into place. They were so big, so blue, and so open and honest. He'd seen her look at the other guys, sometimes in humor, sometimes in surprise, and sometimes in disgust. Whenever she looked at him, it was with a look much more mature than her 23 years. Her look for him had a lot of possessiveness in it. He recognized it because it was the same way he looked at her. Gemma was right, he couldn't fuck it up with her. Maybe what Gemma didn't realize though, was that he didn't want to.

Dani reached up and touched his face with the palm of her hand. He leaned his cheek into her touch. She sat up slowly and leaned forward, placing a light kiss on his lips. She drew back and opened her eyes in time to see his nostrils flare and his eyes dilate.

"Does your head still hurt?" Hap's voice was low and very controlled when he asked her.

She leaned forward again, her lips right against his mouth "Kissing you makes it feel much better."

He didn't want to play games. He grabbed her and kissed her hard. She felt so good. He couldn't get the image of her covered in blood out of his head. The feeling of terror in his gut when he didn't know who the blood belonged to was fresh in his mind.

He pushed her down onto the bed and followed her, pressing against her, never breaking the kiss. She pulled at his shirt and let out a frustrated cry when it got stuck between them. He chuckled at her frustration and she felt his chest move with his laughter.

"Do I amuse you?" she asked him, mildly pissed off.

"No, you amaze me." She melted under him, her eyes going all gooey. "You make me hot, Dani." He took her hand and placed it on his rock hard length. He hissed through his teeth as her small hand rubbed him through his jeans. "So fucking hot."

He ripped his shirt off of her and then got rid of his own clothes in record speed. He needed her, needed her so fucking bad right now. Needed to know she was ok, that she was alive and well and safe in his bed where she belonged.

His hand reached down between them and he found her dripping for him. Her body arched into his touch, her hips flying off the bed and her hands reaching up to grip his shoulders tight. She bent her knee and used it as leverage while she pushed herself up and then shoved him down on the bed underneath her.

Her lips found his again, her tongue pushing its way inside his mouth to spar with his. Slowly, she moved down his body, dragging her breasts over his chest, kissing, licking, and biting her way to his tight abs. He knew what she what she was doing, where her mouth was headed, he was just about to tell her not to when he felt her cup his balls and take his length into her mouth. His hand flew to the back of her head and his hips rose to meet her. Her tongue swirled around him, her head moving up and down while he gripped her hair.

She was on her knees and leaning over him, her head moving up and down over his cock. He reached out and grabbed her leg, pulling her around so her hips were over his face. He pulled her hot center down on his tongue while she continued to work his cock with her hands and her lips. She increased her speed on him, he used his tongue mercilessly on her. His hand reached up and found her clit and he began to circle the straining nub with his thumb. Her breathy cries were mixed with his low growls.

He couldn't take it anymore, her head came up and he shoved her hips down his body and then slammed her home on top of his cock. She faced away from him, reverse cowgirl style, and he grabbed her by the hair as he moved her up and down on his hard shaft. She reached her hands down under his hips, pulling him further inside of her with each thrust, grinding her clit on his cock until her orgasm made her cry out and shatter around him. One more thrust and he exploded inside of her, holding her down until he was empty.

Both of them were panting and covered in sweat. He moved her off his cock and pulled her back down beside him. He reached down and got them a towel to clean up with. Both of them lay on their backs, still breathing heavy.

"Jesus Christ, Hap. Is it always like this?"

He looked over at her. She looked absolutely beautiful. Her hair was wild, her breathing still not back to normal, and he knew her legs felt like jello. He knew that because his did too.

"No Dani, this is different." She smiled at him and then kissed him again. He kissed her back, tenderly and then ran his hand over her head, finding the bump from where she slammed it against the bricks earlier. "Does this still hurt?"

"It's tender, but the headache I had seems to have disappeared. Wonder what chased it away?" She smiled at him.

Lay down woman, my ass is draggin' after fucking you senseless all day with you getting shot at in between!" He tried to look at her seriously but she giggled at him.

He pulled her down into his side and she rested her head on his chest. "Go back to sleep Dani, you need your rest."

"I'll bounce back, Hap. After all, I'm not the one ready to check into the nursing home!"

"You did not just say that!" He flipped her on to her back and tickled her mercilessly. She laughed uncontrollably, loving this playful side of Happy that she knew hardly anyone got to see. She tried to block his hands but he managed to catch both of hers and trap them over her head in one of his, giving his other hand unrestricted access to her very ticklish ribs.

"Take it back, Dani!" She couldn't stop laughing. "I take it back, Hap!" "You damn well better!" He looked down at her and saw she was still shaking with laughter. He leaned down and kissed the breath out of her. He pulled back and she looked up at him. "I love you Hap, even if you are ready for the nursing home!" She giggled again.

He was stunned but tried not to let it show. "What'd you say, Dani, not sure I can hear without my hearing aids." She leaned up and kissed him again. "I said I love you, and I know damn well you heard me."

He kissed her again, a long, slow, tender kiss. "Love you too, Tights." He pulled her back down to his side and let sleep claim them both.

…

Hap woke up the next morning to the burner phone ringing for him.

"Yeah."

It was Tig. "Hap, we got him, come over to the motel just outside of town. Room 213."

"On my way."

Hap looked down at the beautiful woman sleeping in his bed. He'd been in some form of love with her since she was 16 and he knew it. Someone wanted to hurt her, wanted to kill her and Jax. He was going to make sure that never happened.

Hap got up and quietly dressed. Dark clothes, his kutte, his favorite knife, his leather gloves, his pliers, his hammer, his glock. He felt the change take place in him. The tender lover that spent the night with a gorgeous ballerina was leaving. He was being replaced by the Tacoma Killer. The man who could get information out of a deaf mute if he had to. The man who was going to make sure Dani never had to worry about this man again.

He left the room and didn't look back. He wasn't coming back until he was sure she was safe.

…

_**Thank you SO much for the wonderful responses! I am overwhelmed by the messages I've received in favor of the plot. I hope I can answer all your questions over the next few chapters…we will just have to see where Hap and Dani take us next! Feel free to message with questions, comments, or confusions!**_


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